A few years ago I took a wonderful cooking class near Agen, France. One of the things we were taught was to ALWAYS remove the little"plant' from inside the garlic bulblet. We were told that it is bitter. I have never heard of this since and Julia Child and Jacques Pepin don't mention it anywhere I've looked. What is the consensus on this? Green Chili

I heard this once too! In passing on some Food Network show I can't even recall. Sometimes I actually do it, about half the time I'd say. I think you're more likely to risk bitterness by overbrowning the garlic than bothering to slice out the green stem.

In Joel Robuchon's wonderful Simply French, there is a discussion of removing the germ from the garlic clove, especially in things that stay raw such a celeri remoulade - it will become alcoholic and bitter. In my experience , he's right.

I can't remember where I read or heard this, but I remove the 'little plant'/germ if it is beginning to show green color or is especially large or different in texture from the rest of the clove. I do remember that the reason for removal was bitterness. I'd rather remove than have bitterness in a recipe where it isn't intended.

Several times recently, I've read recipes that instruct to cook chopped garlic in oil until it is brown, which I was taught never to do, as this also causes bitterness.

It's fascinating to me how garlic can have so many different flavors depending on how it's prepared, regardless of other flavors within the recipe.